Rappan Athuk: Getting Ready to meet the blue lord

Session 254 was played on 5/19/24

Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Gimble, wizard (Scott)
Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC)
Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Jameth, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Lor’Koth, Dwarf 5 (NPC)

Feeling supremely refreshed, they spend more time poking about town, checking in with the local temple to learn more about what’s happened at the temple of the blue lord. The local pantheon consists of 9 gods (and a forgotten one), including the blue lord. Sadly the temple doesn’t have much more info than what Kelman already provided.

At the local provisioners, they are pleasantly surprised to find a selection of potions for sale, including a dozen healing potions, invisibility, growth, a potion and scroll of water breathing, and a scroll of resist elements. The party buys up the lot, as well as a new wagon, 2 horses, and some lanterns and torches (you never know when the magic will fail again)

Gains:
Kills:
Losses:

Rappan Athuk: Spa Day!

Session 253 was played on 5/15/24

Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC)
Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Jameth, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Lor’Koth, Dwarf 5 (NPC)

Blotto takes the head of the roc, ropes and stakes it in the water to allow the sea life to clean the skull for him.

Breaking camp, and getting ready to activate the elephant, they spot a trade caravan heading their way, and going eastward, the direction they’re headed. They hitch a ride to the nearest town.

Once in town they take full advantage of being somewhere civilized, and have a spa day. They learn a bit about the town, the local area, the temple, and the big dragon they encountered. 

Nick decides he needs to upgrade the bathing facilities in his castle ASAP, up to and including having Morgana make him a magic tub.

Gains:
Kills:
Losses:

Blood Demons

"Do you hear that grunting?" 

"Who's working out in a dungeon?"

 Looking through the doorway, the party sees a wide circular chamber that stretches down at least 60 feet, with a winding stairway wrapping around the wall. Down below, half a dozen buff red demons were busy flexing, stretching, doing one armed pushups, squats, box jumps and jump rope with a chain...  

"According to the map, we have to go down there." Allianora grumbles

"I hate gym demons" Rathgar moans. 

"Who doesn't." Feris says. "Ice storm?"

"Yeah, lets not get into their reach if we can avoid it." Nimble says, looking down at the bulging muscles

Blood Demons

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4* (M)
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 2 claws/ 1 gore or special
Damage: 2d4+1/2d4+1/1d6+1 or special
Number Appearing: 1d6 (1d6)
Save As: F8
Morale: 11
Treasure Type:
Intelligence: 7
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 175

Monster Type: Demon, lesser (rare)

Blood demons are the gym bros of the demon world. While they love the chaos and destruction that they can cause, they also enjoy psychological intimidation that their impressive physical forms can instill, and will mock anyone and anything that is less physically developed than them. Because they're so energetic, unless properly restricted by the summoning spells, they will continue to cause mayhem and destruction until banished or destroyed. 

In combat, the demons will attempt to intimidate their opponents and flex and pose to show off their physique. Anyone viewing this must make a save vs spells or be in stunned for 1d3+1 rounds. While stunned they will suffer a -2 to all attacks, AC, and saves. This effect can only be done once per day per opponent. 

Like all lesser demons, they can be turned as undead (as mummies) and have the bonus demon strenth of +1 to damage (included above), and are immune to sleep and charm spells, and are immune to fire. 

Terrain: any

---

These demons are from the Reaper Miniatures Blood Demons set, and were painted with the following reaper paints: Red Liner, Asmodius Red, Seoni Scarlet, Sunrise Orange, Dragon Copper, Carbon Grey, and Skeleton Bone

The Big 15!

15 years.

It's longer than I spent in public school. It's longer than my marriage. It's as long as I had Lucy and Alice for each. Few things in my life are as constant. Maybe only my love of Star Trek and RPGs has lasted longer.

I've got lots more of everything that's come before, plus some new things coming down the line that should be ready in time for Halloween. To all you faithful readers, thanks for coming along on this journey. I'm not done yet!

Rappan Athuk: A Roc and a wet place

Session 252 was played on 5/5/24

Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Gimble, wizard (Scott)
Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC)
Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Jameth, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Lor’Koth, Dwarf 5 (NPC)

At the water's edge, they pull out the boat box, and struggle to remember the activation word. Eventually they get it in the water, and while trying to remember, say “boat” and it becomes a boat. Amazingly/Depressingly Blotto is the only member of the party with any experience with sailing, and it falls to him to direct the rest of them in getting the boat moving in the right direction.

About 4 hours after hitting the water, a giant roc is seen approaching. Crossbows and fireballs are readied, and loosed as the bird closes in. The roc is a little put off by the assault, and misses its attack on the boat. More bolts, a lightning bolt, and Blotto’s new paralyzing fishing pole arm get tossed at the roc. The fishing line hits and the roc fails its save, and drops into the water, eventually drowning. Botto ropes the corpse and they drag it on their way.

3 hours later Blotto feels some tugging on the line. Sharks are feasting on the corpse of the roc. Blotto manages to paralyze one shark, sending it to the bottom of the ocean.

5 hours later they finally make it to the far shore, and drag the boat and the corpse of the roc into the shallows. The body of the roc has been gutted, but some shark teeth are recovered from the corpse. Morgana takes some feathers.

Setting up a late camp, they attract the attention of a pack of wolves. Not wanting to bother, they chuck roc meat at them until they go away.

Gains: roc corpse
Kills: roc
Losses:

Star Trek Day 2024

Happy Star Trek Day 2024! 

 

The last few years we've gotten some amazing panels and events for Star Trek Day (today). This year, sadly, all we're getting is this video and the Lower Decks season 5 trailer. 

It isn't nothing, but it doesn't feel like much, especially given how much is and will be ending this year. Discovery aired its final season. Prodigy got sold off to Netflix, and there's no word on any more seasons. Picard is over (last year). And this is the final season of Lower Decks. 

Yes, there's still a lot to look forward to. Strange New Worlds is doing a fine job carrying the Trek banner, and we've got the Section 31 film and Starfleet Academy coming up... but... I want more. I want more Prodigy and Lower Decks specifically. While everyone fawns over SNW, the animated stuff (and DISCO) were doing way more interesting things with Trek, and I want more of that. I'd also love more Short Treks. That's another avenue to explore the Trek-verse without needing to green-light a whole new series for every idea.

Whatever the future may hold, both for Trek specifically, and for the world at large, I remain hopeful. And what is the core message of Star Trek if not that? Have hope. We can do better, we can be better.

Live Long and Prosper.

Rappan Athuk: Are we the baddies?

Session 251 was played on 4/28/24

Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC)
Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Jameth, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Lor’Koth, Dwarf 5 (NPC)

While the dragon had taken the donkeys, the slightly wobbly and a little broken cart remained. Borumar’s pack elephant statue was drafted into service, and tied to the cart. It looked ridiculous, but it worked, and Morgana didn’t have to walk.

The young bugbear’s name turned out to be Zur. She wasn’t super chatty.

After a bit on the road, they barely spotted someone following. Morgana cast invisibility on Nick and he and  Borumar snuck off into the brush to wait to see who was following. After a short wait, 7 bugbears came into sight. Nick and Borumar decided to deal with them together. Borumar started by backstabbing the biggest looking one, and getting in a really really good hit.

The leader took the hit, and snarled in pain, but didn’t drop. Borumar pulled his daggers out and stuck them back in. Nick appeared in the middle of the group, stabbing another with his spear, and then again, dropping his target. Borumar’s bugbear also dropped.

“You messed with Borumar, and you shouldn’t have done that” the half orc snarls at the remaining bugbears. They break and run, one yelling over their shoulder “he just wanted his daughter back!”

Borumar and Nick have a “are we the baddies” moment, and then settle on “The bugbears weren’t good people, we did the right thing”Borumar stashes the fancy blood stained leather armor from the leader and the pocket change in the bag of holding, and they catch up to the group.

Eventually they make camp and during Jameth & Borumar’s watch, Zur slips away. They both see it, and neither says anything.

The next day is without incident, and they make it to the water, camping once more, before tacking that challenge.

Gains: leather +2, 40gp
Kills: bugbear chieftain, and bugbear
Losses: moral/ethical high ground?

Rappan Athuk: Dragon Fire, Dragon Egg

Session 250 was played on 4/21/24


Nick, Fighter 7 (Me)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse)
Morgana, wizard (Rob)
Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC)
Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Jameth, Fighter 5 (NPC)
Lor’Koth, Dwarf 5 (NPC)

“Who speaks for this ragtag bunch?” The dragon hisses.

The party looks back and forth between each other, and Borumar half raises his hand.

“Know this, there will be no settlers, no colonizers here!” She takes a deep breath and everyone runs. The heat of her breath, even as the party wasn’t the target of it, was overwhelming. “Begone, before I take more than this from your pathetic existence.” She says taking the donkeys and cart that were Morgana’s, and teleporting away.

The ruins were no more, and it would be an age before anything again ever grows upon the now glassy hilltop. The party takes a few minutes to change pants, and let the hilltop cool a bit. Checking around to see if there’s anything left to find, they discover a small cave mouth on the far side of the hill. Down some rough stairs they find what looks like an old burial site. Behind a closed door a voice calls out in goblin “it’s locked and trapped, stay out!” Blotto chats with the voice a bit. Eventually they agree to open the door, revealing a lone young bugbear female guarding a pair of chests.

The one with the gold is a welcome find, the warm chest with a silvery dragon egg was a highly unexpected discovery! Morgana was thrilled, and called it before anyone else could express an interest in it.

The young bugbear grudgingly agrees to follow the party. Deeper in the mound, behind another door are more chests, but these contain wooden, iron, and bronze coins, and a couple sets of plate armor with matching swords and shields, and a total of 4 rings.

Collecting their loot, and their… prisoner? They leave the still warm hill and head for the river. The kobolds have fled, apparently following their new dragon god. We couldn’t really blame them.

Gains: 5333gp, 4 rings, 2 suits of armor
Kills:
Losses: 18 kobolds, cart and donkeys